Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris will start his first playoff game on Sunday, but coach Rick Campbell isn't worried about how he'll react: 'He's so steady in his approach that I think he'll be just fine.'Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Does RNation really need to be reminded that there’s a big football game Sunday at TD Place?

The Ottawa Redblacks sent out a news release Thursday morning highlighting that there are still 2,500 tickets left for Sunday afternoon’s Canadian Football League East Division semifinal showdown against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

A news release? Twenty-five hundred tickets still available? A crowd of 23,000 or so Sunday, with rows of empty seats?

“I hear it, many of our people hear it all the time, there’s a perception we’re sold out,” said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group president of sports Jeff Hunt when reached by phone Thursday. “No, we are not sold out. We’ve got lots of good tickets available. As we get closer to the game, excitement tends to build so it’s something I’m not worried about. We’ve had situations this year where we’ve had similar numbers of tickets still available.”

Still, here’s some context: The Redblacks, in just their second year of existence (in 2015), played in a Grey Cup game, taking the Edmonton Eskimos to the wire before losing 26-20 in Winnipeg. Last year, the Redblacks won a snowy East final (35-23) against Edmonton on home turf, then beat the Calgary Stampeders 39-33 in overtime in the Grey Cup played in Toronto.

This season, with the same 8-9-1 regular-season record they had a year ago, the Redblacks will need to beat the Roughriders to get to the East final against Toronto, which secured first place and a bye on the final day of the regular season. So, yes, this game is big — a win would put the Redblacks one more win away from a third straight Grey Cup appearance, this time on their home field.

“It’s another first, hey, for more reasons than one,” said Hunt. “If we were in a position to host the Eastern final, we’d have another week to sell. Plus, then you’d be one game away from the Grey Cup. There’s no doubt that game would have been more marketable and maybe more compelling. This is the post-season, it’s win and move on, it’s as big a game as we’ve had this season.”

While the Redblacks have struggled at times at home over the past two seasons, they’ve won both games that really counted — the two East finals.

“That’s the record we want to be most focused on,” said Hunt. “You can have your ups and downs in the regular season, but when everything’s on the line, if we can keep that winning record alive, that’s the one that counts the most.”

“It’s always interesting when you play Saskatchewan, you get that vibe, I’m sure we’ll see a lot of green,” said Hunt. “We’re looking for RNation to come out and drown out the green.”

Even as winter is threatening to flex its muscles, it’s hard to imagine the Redblacks won’t pack the park with plaid.

THE INJURY REPORT: Joshua Stangby and Dominique Rhymes shared time with the No. 1 unit at practice Thursday. It was Stangby’s second practice back after missing several weeks with a hip injury. Said Redblacks coach Rick Campbell: “Both those guys are in play. They both might end up being on, we’ll see how the roster works out.” Receiver/returner Quincy McDuffie was also in shoulder pads. Said Campbell: “He did more today. The idea was to ratchet it up a little more and have him do more things and we’ll see where he is.”

THE COACH SAYS: The Redblacks have had plenty of rest recently, with two byes in the final three weeks of the regular season. Said Campbell: “The hope is we’re better rested than anybody else because we’ll have played one game in a month. I don’t even think that’s even in our minds because when you get to the playoffs, all the outside stuff goes away; everybody’s so focused on winning, they know it’s do-or-die football. But I’m hopeful with the amount of rest we’ve had, our bodies are feeling good.” … Campbell talked about QB Trevor Harris, who will start his first playoff game on Sunday: “The way he approaches every game and every practice from the beginning of training camp until now, he’s so steady in his approach that I think he’ll be just fine. He’s not an up-and-down guy, he doesn’t try harder because the game’s bigger. I think he’s going to play really well.”

THE END AROUND: The Redblacks have moved up to fourth in the CFL Power Rankings, ahead of both Saskatchewan and Winnipeg … Defensive back Jerrell Gavins, who was ruled out for the season with a knee injury late last month, was on the sidelines — in jersey and shorts. So will he return? Said Campbell: “That would be a miracle of medicine if that happens. It shows you his enthusiasm for the game. He loves playing. He wants to be out here with the guys, he had his jersey on and all that. Unless he is superhuman, which maybe he is, we won’t see him.” … After such a beautiful September and a rainy October, the Redblacks are getting a dose of colder weather at practice, something that might come in handy very soon. “We’re getting some colder weather, which isn’t bad, there’s a bit of a breeze and it’s supposed to be colder (Friday),” said Campbell. “We haven’t had much cold weather so it’s good to get out here in that.” … The Roughriders have ruled OL Brendon LaBatte out of Sunday’s game.

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